Throughout the health care profession there is the danger of needle-sticks when handling used or contaminated syringes and needles. In addition to the danger of HIV infection, which leads to AIDS, there is the danger of being contaminated with the multitude of other infectious diseases, including for example Hepatitis B. These dangers add to the daily concern of health care workers, as well as other people involved with these devices from initial use to eventual destruction and disposal of the devices, for their own health and safety. This includes, for example, nurses, doctors, janitorial personnel, medical waste disposal personnel, loading dock workers, incinerator operators and landfill workers.
Sometimes contaminated syringes and needles are simply discarded in conventional trash containers. This is extremely dangerous and can easily lead to needle-sticks when the trash containers are handled or emptied. A more approved disposal method includes placing the syringes and needles in sharps containers which then must be re-packaged, sealed and marked prior to pick-up for delivery to an approved medical waste disposal facility for proper destruction. This procedure involves much time, effort, paperwork and expense. Additionally, there is still the danger of injury or infection to personnel due to the multiple handlings of used syringes and needles.
It is an object of this invention to provide improved techniques and apparatus for safely disposing of contaminated syringes and needles.
It is another object of this invention to reduce the time, effort, paperwork and economic cost which is associated with the disposition of used or contaminated needles and syringes.
It is still another object of this invention to significantly reduce the risk of injury or infection to health care professionals and all other personnel who handle used or contaminated syringes and needles.